bisson



Sept. l1, 1923. 1,467,603

F. BissoN AUTOMATIC LIGHTER Filed Feb. 8, 1922 Fi q1. Fi g5' ATTUBNEYlPatente Sept.. ll, i923.

'NEE SFAS FERNAND BISSON, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

AUTOMATIC LIGHTER.

Application led February 8, 1922. Serial No. 534,990.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FERNAND BissoN, citizen ofthe Republic of France, and resident of Paris, France (post-ofiiceaddress 58 Rue Amelot), have invented a new and useful AutomaticLighter, which improvements are fully set forth in the followingspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide a gasolene automatic lightercharacterized by the fact that ignition of the wick is effectedconsequent upon a mere pull exerted on a device with which it isconnected and which carries the rubbing surface.

A lighter embodying my invention is illustrated, as an example, by theappended drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of my lighter.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional view thereof, partly in elevation.'

Figure 4 is a cross section of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an elevation showing the wickcarrier tank.

Figure 6 is aside view of )Figure 5.

Figures 7, 8, and 9 relate to a modification.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be apparent that the apparatus comprisesa box 1 made of metal or other material and suitably shaped, having atits upper part a notch 2 and an opening 3, the use of which will behereinafter explained.

Said box 1 is divided into two compartments by a partition 4 secured byany suitable means. In the right-hand compartment is disposed, againstpartition 4, a strip or bar 5 of pyrophoric material, for instance,ferrocerium, suitably shaped, on which a coil or other spring 6 ressesvertically in order to keep the en 7 thereof applied against the edge ofthe box opposite open- Ik the other hand a double blade spring 9 actingon a suitable part 10 which covers it, forces the said bar 5 againstpartition 4.

In the left-hand compartment, is inserted a asolene tank 1l, suitablyshaped and provicgled with any opening 12 which registers with notch 2ofthe box, and is filled with oakum 13 or any other suitable material.

The lower end or-ed e of this compartment is cut out, where the tank canbe readily inserted or withdyiawn by sliding it in or out.

A `thin covering plate keeps all parts in position within box 1.

This box, so made up, is fitted into a correspondinglyl shaped sheath14, which is provided at its top, above openings 12 and 3, with asuitably shaped opening having protecting guide flanges 16 and at itsbottom with a suitable guide in which a closing plate 17 engages.

rIhe wick is carried by a device independent from the one justdescribed, said independent device furthermore carrying the rubbingmember proper.

This device is constituted by a suitably shaped head or button 18 whichfits between fianges 16. Said button carries a small rod 19, with a spur20, on which rod is secured by a bayonet slot or other means a smalltube 22 containing an asbestos or other wick.

Opposite this tube is secured a steel rod 24, carrying adjacent its endone or several claws or hooks 25, which constitute the rubbing orfriction member or members. In this rod 24 is made a rectangular slot 26in which slides a finger 27 desegned, due to its shape and size, toprevent wear on the pyrophoric bar 5 as will be hereinafter explained.

Friction rod 24 is inserted through opening 3 into the right-handcompartment, between bar 5 and cover part 10. So positioned, finger 27is brought to the end of slot 26 remote from hook 25 by its frictional pengagement with cover 10 durlngiits passage into the box.

Rod 24 is so shaped that when the finger 27 is in the above indicatedposition, the hook 25 does not rub against the bar 5-any useless wearbeing so avoided.

A,Tube 22 Ais forced down through opening 12 into tank 11, where itswick 23 becomes soaked with gasolene.

When the wick-.carryin device is being withdrawn by a pull on utton 18,finger 27 is brought back into contact with Fhook 25 and, since thethickness ofthe said finger is less than the thickness of the hook, thelatter must be in contact with the pyrophoric bar until the time when,reaching opening 3, a spark will occur which will ignite the wick intube 22, the latter being at this moment alsoout of the gasolene tank.

It should be noted that (and this is a characteristic feature of myinvention) with the aforedescribed arrangement the button carries thefriction device and the wick, which are independent from one another, sothat the pyrophoric material never is in contact with gasolene, whichwould disintegrate it, a drawback found with automatic lighters hithertomarketed.

Of course, the present description of my lighter is given merely by wayof example, and I reserve the right to modify constructional details orarrangements without getting beyond the scope of my invention.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 relate to a modification, wherewith and wherein thewick, instead ofbeing set in a wick carrier tube 22, is directlypositioned at 41 in gasolene-soaked cotton-Wool 13 and projects from theupper part of the tank t rough a suitable neck 42 between dan es`16.

As with the first described device, button 18 is housed between lianges16. The shape of said button 18 vis always the same, but in order toallow it to protect the wick 41 protruding from neck 42, I have providedin it an upwardly and inwardlyextending recess 46 of suitable size andshape.

Another characteristic of this constructional modification consists ofthe fact that in order to simplify manufacturing, I.have suppresssedl onignition rod 24 the small finger intended as hereinbefore explained,

vto avoid unnecessary' wearing of the ferrocerium stone.

It will be obvious that I do reserve theV right to mount if I so chosethe said finger either on the device shown by Figures 7, 8 and 9, or onthe device shown by Figures from 1 to 6.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the` nature of my saidinvention and the manner in which the same' is to be performed, what Iclaim is,

1. In a lighter, the combination of a case having an open end; apyrophoric body within the case immediately adjacent said end a rodinsertible and withdrawable bodily into and from said case through saidend and provided with abrading means for contact with the pyrophoricbody to produce sparks during the withdrawal of the rod; a wick adaptedto be ignited by such sparks; and means other than the abrading meansfor preventing contact between said abrading means and pyrophoric bodyduring the nsertion of the rod.

2. .In a lighter, the combination of a case having an open end; apyrophoric body within the case immediately adjacent said end; a rodinsertible and withdrawable bodily into and from said case'through saidend and provided with an abrading member for contact with the pyrophoricbody to produce sparks; a wick adapted to be ignited by such sparks; andmeans carried by said rod but separate from the abrading member itself`for preventing such contact during the insertion of the rod butpermitting it during withdrawal thereof.

3. In a lighter, the combination of a case having an open end; aPyrophoric body within the case immediately adjacent said end; a rodinsertible and withdrawable bodily into and from said case through saidend and provided with an abrading member for contact with thepyrop-horic body to produce sparks; a Wicl adapted to be lignited bysuch sparks; and a movable ele-ment for' preventing such contact duringthe insertion of the-ro but permitting it during withdrawal thereof.

4. In a lighter, the combination of a case having an open end; apyrophoric body within the case immediately adjacent said end; a rodinsertible and withdrawable bodily into and from said oase through saidend and provided with an abrading member for contact with the pyrophoricbody to produce sparks; a wick adapted to be ignited by such sparks; andan element carried by said rod and movable relatively thereto forpreventing such contact during the insertion of the rod .but permittingit during withdrawal thereof.

5. In a lighter, 'the combination of a case having anl open end; alpyrophoric body .within the case immediately adjacent said end; a rodinsertible and withdrawable bodily into and from said case through saidend and provided with a longitudinal slot and with an abrading memberlocated below the same for contact with the pyrophoric body to producesparks; a wick adapted to be ignited by such sparks; and a controllingmember movable yin said slot to prevent such contact during theinsertion of the rod, but permitting it during the withdrawal thereof. f

6. In a lighter, the combination of a case having an open end;alongitudinal partition within the case dividing the interior thereofinto two compartments, one of which rovides a tank for an inflammableliquid; a pyrophoric body disposed in the other compartmentv andterminating immediately adjacent the open case end; an operating buttonor head; a wick tube carried thereby and adapted to be inserted into andwithdrawn from said tank; a wick in said tube to be saturated by theliquid; and a rod also carried by said button and insertible andwithdrawable bodily into and from said other compartment through saidopen end and having an abradin memberfor contact with the pyrophoricbody during the withdrawal of the rod to produce sparks and therebyignite the wick. f

7. In a lighter, the combination of a case having an open end; alongitudinal partition within the case dividing the interior thereofinto two compartments, one of which provides a tank lfor an inflammableliquid; a pyrophoric body disposed in the'other compartment andterminating immediately adjacent the open case end; an operating buttonor head; a depending member on the under face thereof; a wick tuberemovably attached to said depending member at its upper end andprovided at its lower end with a projecting wick, said tube adapted tobe inserted' into and withdrawn from said tank; and a rod also securedto said button and insertible and withdrawable bodily into and from saidother compartment through said open end and having an abrading mem- 10ber for contact with the pyrophorie body during the withdrawal of therod to produce sparks and thereby ignite the wick.

CHARLES LEON LoIsE.

